Knife Edge
by skca54
Summary: A serial killer is on the loose in Chicago and they are targeting the Chicago 'L'. Can Hit Girl and Kick-Ass assist the Chicago PD? A story from my 'Forsaken' universe. This story will use existing characters and events from 'Forsaken'. 'Knife Edge' fits in, chronologically, between Chapter 160 and Chapter 161 of 'Forsaken'. April 2015: This story has been updated.
1. Straight To The Point

**Authors Note: **_This story has been written in response to a challenge by another writer: 'adm-frb'. This is my tenth (published) story._

_This story belongs in my **Forsaken** universe and uses characters and events from that story. The story is set between Chapters 159 and 160 of the current **Forsaken** story. Dave is twenty-one, Mindy is seventeen, and Josh and Chloe are both fourteen. Various other existing characters from **Forsaken** will feature in this story._

_As usual, I look forward, with some trepidation, to any reviews. I promise to accept all criticism. In addition, I am still, British so my spelling and grammar may look and seem strange to some._

_ For those who have already been reading this story, minor editing has occurred to bring the story in line with **Forsaken**. _

* * *

**_City of Chicago_**

The carriages rattled over the rails in their usual incessant manner.

It was another workday, just like any other. The train was packed with men and women desperate to get home after another day of drudgery. One such woman, smartly dressed with legs that seemed to go on for miles, was leaning against the partition beside the carriage doors. She was tired, her feet were killing her and she regretted the choice of heels she had worn to work that morning. She swore that she would pick something more convenient for the following day.

As was usual, she traded looks with admiring men who passed the time examining her long legs and short skirt, not to mention the thin blouse she wore under a light jacket. Unfortunately, for the smartly dressed woman, somebody was intently examining her from top to toe and not for her good looks, or long legs.

That person, though dressed in the similar manner to all the other business type people, was not returning from work. In fact, they were already _at work_. That person's job, or rather pastime, would be classified as violent and heinous in kind.

As the train slowed, approaching the next stop, the smartly dressed woman moved into the centre of the carriage to allow others to get off and on at the approaching stop. The person watching her carefully removed something from their pocket and moved towards the carriage door a few yards away from the smartly dressed woman.

As the train stopped the smartly dressed woman felt a sharp prick on her neck, then something warm and wet trickled down her neck. She felt her legs give way and she sank to the carriage floor, not knowing what had happened to her.

Then blackness descended on her mind and then nothing – nothing at all.

* * *

**_Wednesday_**

**_The home of Dave and Mindy  
West Ridge, Chicago, Illinois_**

Marcus had appeared that morning with a concerned expression. To Mindy, though, he also seemed a little apprehensive.

"Mindy, we have a problem and I'm seriously hoping that you and your team can help," Marcus said with his more usual serious expression.

That explained his apprehensiveness. Marcus was not a huge fan of what his daughter did at night. However, he knew when to use _any_ resource at his disposal. As a general rule, Marcus would only ask for help from '_the fucked up superhero club_', if he was very desperate and his back was up against the wall.

"Of course, Marcus!" Mindy replied, with a big grin, excited at the prospect of helping Marcus with a criminal case.

"Always eager, aren't you Mindy?" Dave laughed, enjoying an opportunity to have a dig at his fiancée.

"Knives!" Marcus continued. "Sharp ones that fly through the air and embed themselves into people."

"My favourite!" Mindy quipped; Mindy always enjoyed _anything_ that featured knives – the sharper the better!

"Straight to the _point_ as ever, I see!" Marcus chuckled, knowing his daughter's immense joy where any form of sharp blades were concerned.

"I try!" Mindy said, before turning serious. "What's happening?"

"The 'L' has been experiencing a number of deaths over the past six weeks. Ignoring the usual shootings and stabbings, we have had a sudden surge of deaths 'from a distance'. Men and women have been killed, seemingly randomly, by small, slender throwing knives," Marcus explained.

The Chicago ' L', which is short for 'elevated', is the rapid transit system that serves the City of Chicago. The 'L' is made up of eight lines that are referred to by colour – Red, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Purple, Pink and Yellow. The 'L' gained its nickname due to large parts of the system being elevated. Despite this nickname, portions of the network are also at ground level or underground.

Mindy looked slightly pensive. "I'd like to say 'cool', but that wouldn't be right. Nobody's seen anybody doing this?"

"Unfortunately, no. The attacks either occur at night, when people are leaving the trains, or a knife is thrown down a carriage, just as the killer themselves leaves the train. We have no CCTV, nothing – he, or she, has planned everything down to the last detail. Now, I know that you and sharp blades have a special _thing_!" Marcus explained with a grin towards the end.

Mindy laughed – blades were her one weakness, other than Dave, of course.

"I'll get Marty and Abby onto it and we'll put together a profile on this asshole. Send us everything that you have, Lieutenant!" Mindy suggested.

* * *

Marcus headed home while Dave and Mindy sat back down again, to chat.

"How about you and Chloe going for a ride on the 'L'?" Dave suggested.

"Could be fun!" Mindy replied, after a brief moment of thought. Mindy was not a big fan of trains, but the prospect of action made it seem appealing.

"You both have fast reactions and _you_ know what to look for. You could both wear a thin anti-stab vest. Besides, it's been a whole year since you two _last_ got yourselves into shit – as Chloe and Mindy!"

"The bank incident was _not_ our fault, ass!" Mindy retorted, defensively, referring to the failed bank heist from the previous summer.

"Well, try not to fuck _this_ up, then!" Dave suggested laughing, ignoring his partner's somewhat hurt expression.


	2. On The L

**_Chicago  
Saturday Evening  
Blue Line_**

The two girls had been riding the Blue Line since four that afternoon and they were bored almost to tears, at least Mindy was!

It had been a very hot and humid day, with a little rainfall to cool things off, slightly. Dave had dropped the initially enthusiastic Mindy and Chloe off at the Irving Park station and the girls had first headed east, towards Rosemont. That first leg took them about a quarter of an hour to complete. At Rosemont they turned around, before riding all the way into the centre of Chicago and via the Loop to Forest Park – this took them just over an hour.

Mindy was _not_ amused – at all!

"How could I have let Dave talk me into this?" Mindy thought. "I hate trains! I'm a girl – girls don't play with trains!"

Mindy had mentioned this thought to Chloe earlier on. Chloe in turn had given a snarky reply, having got fed up with Mindy's almost constant moaning throughout the afternoon!

"Girls tend not to play with guns and knives, either!"

..._...

"Mindy is a real pain in the ass!" Chloe thought. "Why the hell did I volunteer for this?

Mindy had been bored stiff since the very first five minutes after getting on the train at Irving Park. As for Chloe – she had just sat down and enjoyed the ride, ignoring Mindy and checking out the views from the carriage windows. She was annoyed about having to wear Kevlar under her top, as it was hot; but it was a requirement; it was better to be safe than sorry!

Marcus had insisted on a chaperone for the trip and, an equally bored, Sam Fellowes was slouched in a far corner of the carriage. Fellowes was out of uniform and behaving as though he didn't know either of the two girls, but he was used to this kind of thing and, as usual, he was armed and ready for anything that might happen – he was a career Chicago Police Officer and had seen almost everything a cop could see. The two girls were also armed; each of them carried a concealed Glock 26 pistol as well as a Balisong each. Mindy also had four non-magnetic, throwing knives secreted about her person – just in case.

The three of them were able to communicate using the standard Fusion concealed comms. Marty, along with Abby, was at Safehouse F and they were both monitoring the team for safety. Fellowes was also getting a little ticked off with all the girl chatter, having been forced to put up with it for what seemed like hours, but the girls knew that he could handle it!

"Thank God I had a son and not a daughter!" Fellowes groused, getting thoroughly disgruntled with the whole afternoon.

"Do you want to retain the capability to have _more_ kids?" Mindy groused back, rising to the bait.

"I'd like to see you try!" Fellowes challenged, barely moving his lips.

"Hey! Let's stick with the mission, guys!" Marty admonished from the Safehouse with a chuckle.

"Sorry!" The three of them replied, refocusing their minds on the task in hand.

* * *

**_Three hours later_**

"You guys still awake?" A rather tired sounding Marty called over the comms.

Mindy was unhappy – her backside had been numb for hours. Chloe was casually pacing up and down the carriage. She would peer lazily out the doors at stations. At least, it would look lazy to the casual observer, but she was really fully alert. The team were now on the Red Line, somewhere near the 79th Street station. Fellowes was now feeling brain-dead after having been forced to listen to the two girls all evening. He had actually been heard to say three words an hour or so earlier: 'kill me now'!

"Kinda!" Chloe growled in reply.

"Bad news!" Marty continued. "Another dead, with a knife in the throat!"

"Where!" Mindy answered coming awake very fast.

"Cicero, on the Pink Line and not more than five minutes ago!" Marty advised.

"Dammit!" Mindy said, sounding dejected. "We're heading back – thanks Marty!"

The three of them got off the 'L' at 47th Street and were picked up fairly quickly by Marcus, in his truck.

"These two will be the death of me!" Fellowes grumbled to Marcus.

"You mean a senior Chicago PD Sergeant has been worn down by two teenaged girls in a single afternoon?" Marcus insinuated with a grin.

"Those two are _not_ normal!" Fellowes replied with a laugh, then went serious. "We scored zero, tonight!"

"Yeah!" Mindy answered felling pretty shit.

* * *

**_The next evening  
Sunday_**

"We doing this again?" Chloe groused, knowing the answer. "Yesterday sucked!"

"Well we didn't get taken hostage!" Mindy said cheerfully in a vain attempt at cheering Chloe up.

"True – we did manage that!" Chloe conceded with a grimace.

"You girls ready for a night out on the old 'L'?" Paul Murphy asked with a big grin.

"This is _not_ a date, plus you're married!" Chloe advised.

"Still nice to be taking out two hot chicks!"

"Both of whom are almost half your age!" Mindy added with a raised eyebrow.

"Gee, thanks bitches!"

* * *

**_An hour later  
Blue Line_**

Murphy was unhappy with his lot in life.

"Move to Chicago, join the Police – end up patrolling with two mad female vigilantes!" Murphy moaned. "How my life has fallen!"

Chloe and Mindy both laughed at the comment and received a big grin from Murphy at the other end of the carriage. He was pretending not to know the two girls, as Fellowes had done the previous day, but he was speaking quietly over the comms. That night seemed like it was going to be a bit of fun.

The train pulled into Pulaski station, it was raining hard, but it was still warm outside. The station was in the median of the Eisenhower Expressway between South Keeler Avenue and South Pulaski Road.

As the train stopped, the doors opened and a woman screamed.


	3. Precision

**_Sunday Night  
Blue Line_**

The scream had not yet died away by the time Mindy had jumped up and run for the nearest exit.

She had her pistol out but held behind her leg, where it was hidden from the other passengers. Chloe was running down the carriage towards the scream. Mindy flew out of the open door and looked up and down the station platform, but she saw nothing but panicking people. After a couple of minutes, she swore to herself and gave up trying to spot a fleeing murderer, holstered the pistol and headed back into the train. She found Murphy with Chloe and both were standing beside a dead woman, who had a few inches of metal handle sticking out of her neck. It was the sleek, steel, handle of a professional throwing knife. Around the body a pool of fresh blood was spreading across the floor of the carriage.

"We had been _so_ goddamned close, but this killer was careful – almost as careful as me! The precision and skill required was towards my level, which meant a killer that could also be very skilled in other aspects of being an assassin," Mindy thought to herself dejectedly.

So far, the hunt had been an abject failure! A woman had been murdered only feet from the three of them as they watched. Mindy thought hard, trying to probe her mind for anything that she might have seen, just before the attack. But nothing came to mind – nothing.

..._...

"Mindy – we need a break!" Chloe admitted on the drive home.

Summer Vacation was starting and it was time to take a break and enjoy the sun and work out a strategy to find this killer, Mindy decided.

"Now, what could be better than enjoying the sun on Lake Michigan?" Mindy suggested.

* * *

**_The following weekend  
Saturday_**

"Mindy, you _cannot_ call it that!" Dave insisted. "I'd rather sink and drown, than put out a Mayday with _that_ name!"

"Too late – she's already registered and painted!" Mindy said with a smug look and a laugh.

"Marcus won't go near the boat," Dave added. "You know that, don't you?"

"That's the idea!"

"Damon – your daughter is fucking warped!" Dave yelled, looking to the ceiling.

"It's why you love me!" Mindy said with a laugh.

* * *

**_That afternoon  
Burnham Harbor_**

"She's gorgeous!" Chloe squealed, with barely contained excitement.

"She's fucking huge!" Josh added.

"I give you the '_Salty Swallow_'!" Mindy said with a grin and a flourish.

Josh's eyes almost popped out of his head, when he heard the name and Chloe blushed with obvious embarrassment.

"That name was one of the better ones that she came up with – believe me!" Dave groaned.

"Somehow, I can believe that!" Chloe laughed.

"Yeah, that filthy mind of hers is bottomless and obviously needs a damn good clean!" Josh commented and he received a happy smile from Mindy who was proud of her filthy mind!

..._...

The '_Salty Swallow_' was a sixty-five foot Sea Ray L650 Fly yacht in white and light grey, fitted with twin eleven-hundred and fifty horsepower Cat C-18A Diesel engines, which together could push the forty-five tonne yacht to a little over thirty knots. The yacht was fitted with a hardtop over the flying bridge that had a retractable sunroof.

Down below, the yacht had two double staterooms, one forward and one amidships, plus a pair of twin guest cabins in between, on either beam. The yacht could carry around sixteen people, with eight sleeping. There was also a large sun pad and seating on the forward deck for sunbathing, which Chloe liked the look of! The flying bridge also had another sun pad for sunbathing and seating for around a dozen people.

The '_Salty Swallow_' was currently moored stern in, requiring the four of them to come aboard down a gangway and onto the teak-planked swim platform and then up three steps to the cockpit which had a large table with plenty of seating and stairs up to the flying bridge, on the port side.

..._...

Chloe stopped in front of a set of aluminium framed, tinted glass, sliding doors. Mindy slid them open, stepped back and allowed Chloe to step through the doors and then smiled as Chloe gasped.

"Oh, Mindy – it's beautiful!"

To the left, along the port side was a cream coloured couch that could seat three people and opposite it was a corner seat that could seat another five. In front of each couch was a square, leather stool that could double as a table. Just inside the doors that Chloe had come in by, on the port side, was a fifty-inch flat screen TV, with AV and gaming centre.

"Bloody hell!" Josh commented, looking at everything and trying to take it all in.

Dave and Mindy had already seen over the yacht, so they moved further forward and waited for the two kids to examine everything and calm down!

* * *

Forward of the seating area and up one step was the dining area, to starboard. The dining area had a table for six. To port was an enormous galley and just beyond the dining area was the lower helm, or control station, to starboard. The galley had an electric hob, a microwave and a large fridge, plus a freezer and ice maker. There was also a counter with two bar stools facing forward and into the galley. The whole deck was open plan and the ample tinted glazing allowed plenty of natural light to enter the yacht.

Opposite the galley, at the lower helm, there were twin leather Stidd captain's chairs, which faced the control station that held a pair of wide screen displays for navigation, throttle controls and a joystick for the engines and manoeuvring thrusters, plus switches for the lighting and other electrical functions onboard. Beside the wheel was the obligatory VHF radio. The position looked out through three sharply sloping windows, over the bow.

"Cool!" Josh commented as he examined the computer equipment.

Between the galley and the lower helm, were some steps going below to the staterooms.

"Carry on down, Chloe!" Dave suggested.

..._...

At the bottom of the steps was a small lobby with several doors leading off.

"Chloe and Josh, your den of iniquity is to port!" Mindy said with a chuckle, indicating the door to the cabin.

"What is it, hammocks?" Josh quipped.

Inside the cabin were twin beds and there were two large sloping windows allowing a great view to port. There was also a large, flat screen TV mounted on the bulkhead.

"The beds _will_ push together!" Dave said with a smirk.

"You're trusting us with a bed we can share?" Josh asked with a little doubt in his voice.

"_Can_ we trust you?" Mindy asked meaningfully.

"Of course!" Chloe responded, glaring at Josh who just shrugged his shoulders.

..._...

Opposite their cabin was an identical, but mirror-image, cabin on the starboard side. Next came a pair of doors to port and starboard that led to identical bathrooms with showers. Then Chloe headed forward.

"Fuck me!" Chloe exclaimed, when she pushed the door open.

Inside the forward VIP stateroom was a queen sized bed, with a skylight directly above it. To the left of the door was a twenty-four inch flat screen TV and AV system. Either side of the stateroom, thin hull side windows ran almost the length of the cabin.

..._...

Next, the kids followed Dave aft, down two steps and through the door to the master stateroom.

"It's fucking enormous!" Josh exclaimed.

"So this is where Hit Girl and Kick-Ass fuck!" Chloe said with a smirk.

"Funny, bitch!" I replied and Dave laughed.

The bed was just as big as that in the forward stateroom, but there was much more floor space and more storage, as the cabin was the full width of the yacht and not governed by the shape of the hull. To the starboard side, two comfortable seats facing each other with a table in between and beside them, four sloping windows, which allowed in plenty of natural light to the Stateroom. Again there was a large flat screen TV and AV system. There was also an ensuite bathroom with a large shower that could easily cope with two people.

..._...

Mindy then led the kids back up the steps and aft, to the steps that led up to the flying bridge.

"Hey, hell of a view!" Josh commented, once he had had climbed the steps on the port side, from the cockpit.

"Nice isn't it!" Mindy said with a smile that showed the pride she had for her new command.

Directly ahead of Josh, on the port side, was the upper helm or control station, with a single seat, behind which was a decent sized refrigerator. To starboard and aft was a large seating area with a table, grill and a TV. Directly across from the helm was another table with bench seats. Forward of the helm and the full width of the bridge deck, was a large sun pad that could convert into chaise loungers – the one to starboard was suitable for two, something which Chloe had noticed quite quickly!

* * *

All necessary personal gear, along with plenty of supplies, were loaded before the '_Salty Swallow_' left the dock mid-afternoon and headed east into the lake.

Almost immediately Chloe headed below and returned in a two piece bikini that did _not_ leave much to the imagination! Josh seemed pleased though, as they both snuggled down on the flying bridge sun pad together.

Mindy pulled off her shirt, but stayed in her shorts and a sports bra. The breeze was warm as the yacht cruised over the waves at a sedate sixteen knots. Dave stood behind Mindy, gently rubbing his hands over her shoulders and edging closer to his intended targets!

"Hey, Chloe! This boat is new – I don't want bodily fluids staining the seating!" Mindy called over to the sun pad.

"No problem, Mindy; I swallow – no matter how salty!"


	4. Cruising

**_That night  
Saturday_**

The '_Salty Swallow_' was moored at dock J19, in the Belmont Harbor for the night and everybody settled down to steaks, cooked on the flying bridge. The night was clear and the harbour busy. The view of Chicago was interesting and could have been better from offshore, but this was our first day out so we wanted to be alongside and secure for our first night.

"I'm looking forward to tonight, gorgeous!" Dave said, as he brought two steaks over to the table.

"I think those two are too!" I commented, looking over at the other table where Josh and Chloe were whispering to each other while eating their own steaks.

It wasn't too obvious what Josh was saying, but Chloe kept giggling, as she had been most of the afternoon! The two of them finished eating quite quickly and vanished to their cabin, leaving Dave and Mindy together.

Dave flipped off the lights and we moved onto the sun pad for some sensual, open air fun.

* * *

**_The next morning  
Sunday_**

The following morning dawned bright and clear and promised to be another perfect day.

Dave and Mindy were up first – they looked in on Josh and Chloe and they were both still fast asleep, so the two kids were left cuddling! While Dave got the coffee going, Mindy sat down and turned on the TC to get the morning news. No more deaths – that was good!

"Still thinking about the assassin?" Dave asked, placing a cup of steaming coffee down in front of Mindy.

"Yeah – whoever it is, they're good; very good and that worries me!"

"They'll come to grief – they usually do and they'll make a mistake; then you can come down on them like a tonne of bricks!"

"I suppose so!"

..._...

After breakfast, Dave and Mindy started the engines and got the '_Salty Swallow_' underway and heading out into Lake Michigan. The throb of the powerful diesel engines must have woken the love bugs, as they both appeared, looking very tired and dishevelled.

"Why are we moving?" Chloe asked, slumping down into a seat.

"It's called a boat – it moves!" Mindy chuckled, amused by Chloe's confusion.

"Had the time of your life, did you?" Dave asked Josh.

"It was different – first time on a boat!" Josh replied, grabbing a coffee.

"Yeah, it was fun!" Chloe admitted without a hint of embarrassment.

* * *

That afternoon, about twenty nautical miles due east of Chicago, a radio call was received from a US Coastguard forty-five-foot response boat, requesting to come alongside on US Navy business.

Mindy responded to acknowledge the call and just as she hung up the radio handset she heard a scream and looked down from the flying bridge, onto the bow, where Josh was busy trying to strip Chloe, who was struggling in vain to keep her bikini top in place. As expected, her bikini top ended up wrapped around one of the window wipers for the lower helm and Josh was now working on her bikini bottoms!

"Josh, no!" Chloe screamed and giggled at the same time.

Mindy considered leaving Chloe cavorting almost naked, with the Coastguard popping in for a visit. Mindy's mind thought that it would be amusing to watch, but decided to warn her!

"Chloe!" I called down from the flying bridge.

"What?" Chloe laughed, her bikini bottoms around her knees.

"We've got company, a few minutes out!" I warned and then laughed as she scrambled for the discarded parts of her bikini and Josh looked rather dejected after all his hard work.

"What do they want?" Chloe asked, as she appeared on the flying bridge fighting to tie her bikini top back into place and she was looking worried, with Josh coming up behind her with his own confused look on his face.

"I have _no_ idea," Mindy replied, purposefully not looking at her. "Probably a safety inspection and I suggest that you, err get some clothes on!"

..._...

Twenty minutes later, the Coastguard craft came up to the stern of the '_Salty Swallow_' and a tall Officer in the white uniform of a US Navy Commander called over.

"Permission to come aboard!"

"Permission granted!" Mindy called back.

Two people jumped aboard – the Officer and a lady. The Officer turned and waved off the Coastguard boat, which headed north, up Lake Michigan.

"Who did we pick up –?" Chloe started, coming out of the main deck salon with shorts and a t-shirt on. "– Daddy!"

Chloe ran forward and jumped into her father's arms. Josh looked questioningly at the lady who had come aboard, Cathy and then Dave and Mindy, before it clicked in his mind.

"_You both knew_!" He accused, scowling.

Dave and Mindy just shrugged in response.

"I really hope that this slimy stuff on you is sun lotion, Chloe – nothing else, eh, Joshua!" Commander Ryan Bennett said with an evil smirk. Josh looked a little worried.

"_Daddy_!" Chloe growled, wriggling out of her father's arms and then glaring at him.

"Just kidding!" The Commander apologised. "Sorry, Josh!"

"When did you get back?" Chloe asked, bouncing up and down with excitement.

"This morning. Thought it would be good to surprise you – an old pal ran me out in the response boat; they were on their way past here anyway!" Commander Bennett explained.

"You're lucky – Chloe actually has her top on at the moment!" Mindy said with an evil grin.

"Bitch!" Chloe muttered.

"Time to get out of this uniform!"

"Chloe, show your parents to the forward VIP stateroom," I suggested.

* * *

Chloe was grinning fit to burst.

"Nice surprise?" Mindy asked her.

"Yeah!" Chloe replied, still grinning. "Thanks!"

..._...

Twenty minutes later Commander Bennett and Cathy reappeared in the main salon. The Commander was no longer wearing his white uniform, but was in shorts and t-shirt. Cathy wore shorts and a bikini-top with a thin, open shirt on top.

"Can I offer you anything, Commander?" Dave asked.

"Hey, when I'm out of uniform call me Ryan, guys!"

"No problem, Ryan!" Dave replied.

"Cool!" Josh said.

"To you, it'll be Commander or Sir!" Ryan said, smiling at Josh.

"Daddy!"

"Well he is screwing my fourteen year-old daughter!"

"I'm almost fifteen!"

"Almost..." Ryan replied and Chloe scowled.

* * *

The weather was gorgeous as the yacht cruised towards Michigan City where she would anchor for the night.

Ryan was providing Dave and Mindy with some intensive training in operating a large vessel like the '_Salty Swallow_'. Both Dave and Mindy had passed a basic navigation and boat handling course, so they had a reasonable idea what they were up to. Dave, Ryan and Mindy were on the flying bridge, while the kids were with Cathy in the galley, preparing dinner.

"So Mindy – you bought this row-boat didn't you?" Ryan asked conversationally.

"Yes," Mindy replied cautiously.

"So, where are the torpedoes and anti-ship missiles?" Ryan laughed, half-jokingly.

Dave looked at Mindy's expression, then groaned, a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"You actually looked into it – didn't you?" He asked, with an exasperated tone.

Mindy looked a little embarrassed.

"I kinda looked into it for a minute or two..."

"Mindy!"

"Maybe a _week_ or two!" Mindy finally admitted looking slightly embarrassed.

"Well, there would be no way that she could get her hands on that kind of stuff!" Ryan said with a grin.

Mindy looked distinctly uncomfortable and was squirming in her seat.

"You have _got_ to be kidding!" Ryan exclaimed. "You can get that shit?"

"Well, I found a guy that could get me some stuff..." Mindy started, looking shy. "He offered me a pair of Stingray torpedoes and maybe some surface-launched Sea Skua missiles..."

"Anything else?" Ryan asked, more than a little concerned.

"He also offered me an older model Phalanx CIWS and some older model RGM-84 Harpoon missiles..." Mindy admitted, quietly. "The British MoD is getting rid of a lot of old kit!"

"Well, she _is_ Hit Girl!" Dave said to Ryan.

"I guess so!" Ryan said with a laugh at Mindy's expression. "Cathy mentioned that you had started adding naval assaults to your repertoire!"

"The '_Vigilante_'!" Dave said.

"Is that what she's called? Nice name!"

"She's a Sunseeker Predator 53 – sleek and fast!" Mindy said, having regained her composure.

"Nice choice – I'm impressed; the British build some good kit!" Ryan said with an approving nod. "So what weapons _does_ the 'Salty Swallow' carry?"

Mindy groaned, before reeling off the contents of the hidden armoury.

"Six assault rifles, eight pistols, some grenades and a shitload of ammunition! The engine compartment is protected with multiple layers of Kevlar, as is the lazarette under the cockpit and both of the control stations!"

"Now that sounds more like Hit Girl!" Ryan said with a chuckle.

..._...

Once the yacht was securely and safely anchored, everybody settled down to dinner. Cathy had done really well and had kept Chloe and Josh very busy in the galley, which seemed to have annoyed Chloe as Mindy had a distinct feeling that Chloe thought she was losing out on her 'quality time' with Josh!

"Now this was fun – the six of us sitting around the table in the cockpit," Mindy thought. The evening was warm and comfortable. The six of them spent the next couple of hours chatting together, with a good portion of time spent with Ryan humiliating Chloe with some stories from her childhood.

"– and I thought that _my_ childhood was troubled!" Mindy commented.

..._...

By the time everybody had finished, it was dark, so we retreated inside the main salon and shut the glass doors. It was very warm, but the air-conditioning soon took hold and we were able to sit comfortably.

"Right, you two – time for you to leave the adults in peace!" Cathy suggested to Josh and Chloe.

"What about Mindy – she's not an adult!" Chloe stated.

"Chloe!" Ryan said sternly, then grinned. "Surprised you need a nudge to go to bed!"

"Alright!" Chloe growled. "Night Mom, night Dad!"

Once Chloe and Josh had gone below, Ryan stood up.

"Damn, she's growing up fast!" He lamented.

"That she is, Ryan! We owe her a hell of a lot – she's a wonderful girl; I really mean that!"

"Thanks – that means a lot coming from Hit Girl!" Ryan said. "Now, Cathy told me that you are trying to track down a serial killer, in Chicago; tell me what you know."

* * *

**_The next morning  
Monday_**

"God that was a night of hell!" Chloe groaned, sitting down at the table.

"What?" Dave asked innocently from the galley.

"It was in fucking stereo – all fucking night; it was horrible – disgusting even!"

"What was?" Dave responded, trying to keep a straight face.

"You and Mindy, on one side and Mom and Dad, on the other! Ewww!" Chloe explained, sounding horrified.

Dave tried not to laugh as he threw more bacon into the pan.

"Morning!" Ryan announced.

"Good morning!" Cathy said, following her husband up the steps from the deck below.

Chloe never said a word, but just sat and glared at them both.

"Problem, oh daughter of mine?" Ryan asked without a hint of shame.

"Must have made too much noise last night!" Cathy said, smirking at Chloe who just glared harder.

"Made up for the past six months, I can tell you!" Ryan said happily. "Ah, bacon!"

"You two – it was – disgusting!" Chloe stammered. "It went on for hours!"

Mindy, who had just come in from the cockpit and had caught Chloe's comments collapsed onto the couch, laughing! Chloe was _not_ amused.

"Ryan, did you know that your daughter was a screamer?" Cathy asked conversationally – enjoying the growing look of horror on her daughter's face.

"No, I did not!"

"You could have heard her fifty miles away, the night the cherry was popped!"

"MOM!" Chloe yelled, blushing badly.

"I think she might be just a _little_ bit embarrassed!" Ryan teased.

"No. That shade isn't 'embarrassed' – it's more, err 'mortified'!" Cathy replied calmly.

Chloe looked like she was about to kill, Mindy looked like she was going to piss herself with laughter and then Josh appeared.

"What? Did I miss something?"

"You little fucker!" Chloe yelled. "You should have been here defending me!"

"What?" Josh asked, innocently.

"Don't worry, you're just in the wrong place, at the wrong time, Josh!" Dave commented. "As usual! Bacon anyone?"


	5. Fun In The Sun

**_That morning  
Monday_**

**_The 'Salty Swallow'_**

After breakfast the anchor was weighed and all were now heading north at eighteen knots, with Ryan and Chloe at the helm. When the yacht was about twenty-five miles off the coast, Ryan stopped engines and allowed the yacht to drift. The sun was lovely and warm, the water though was a lot cooler, but we were going to give it a go!

..._...

With a scream, Chloe was the first in the lake as her father scooped her off the deck, at the bow, and unceremoniously threw her over the rail, before jumping in after her. The hydraulic platform at the stern had been lowered so that it was level with the surface of the water. Cathy and Mindy were on the platform, Cathy with her legs in the water. Chloe was still screaming sixty-five feet away, somewhere near the bow, as it seemed she was having a water fight with her father! There was another scream, which Dave recognised as Mindy's, closely followed by a large splash and then a stream of expletives that had Cathy blushing. Dave turned to look behind him and saw a smirking Josh, who had just pushed Mindy into Lake Michigan!

"Oh, Mindy will _not_ be happy with you Josh!" Dave advised with a chuckle.

Josh had an enormous grin on his face.

"I can handle Mindy!" Josh replied.

Mindy came swimming around to the stern and glared at Josh.

"You will die a long, drawn out, painful death asshole!" Mindy growled and then grinned, looking directly at Dave. "You going to help me out, lover boy?"

"Wasn't intending to," Dave replied and Mindy looked shocked.

"What!"

"Since when does Hit Girl need help?" Dave asked pointedly.

"Point taken, but I thought that my fiancée might want to be chivalrous!" Mindy teased.

"Okay," Dave said, simply and pulled Mindy out of the water and onto the swim platform, then promptly scooped her up and threw her back in.

Mindy just had time to scream, before she hit the water. She came up to the surface and turned the air blue for several seconds, just as Chloe swam around the stern from the direction of the bow, closely followed by her father.

"Why so grumpy, Mindy?" Chloe asked with a laugh, and then she turned to Josh. "What are you still doing up there?" she demanded.

"Oh, right!" Josh replied and stripped off his t-shirt, before diving into the lake.

* * *

**_The Galley_**

"They seem to be enjoying themselves, or maybe I should say: _each other_!"

"They do get on very well!" Ryan replied.

Ryan and Cathy were preparing lunch, while the 'kids', as they saw them, played in the water. Dave had joined them and there was a lot of splashing and shouting.

"Joshua, do it and you fucking die!" That was Chloe.

"Dave, don't you fucking dare!" That was Mindy.

"Oh, wow!" Ryan commented a minute later, as first one and then another, wet bikini top landed with a slap, on the sloping window forward of the galley.

Josh and Dave could be heard laughing loudly and very happily. It was also possible to hear Mindy and Chloe yelling obscenities. Cathy smirked and went aft to the cockpit.

..._...

"Lunch is ready!" Cathy yelled and saw Chloe and Mindy look horrified, as they both glared at Josh and Dave.

Josh and Dave laughed, swam over to the swim platform and climbed out leaving the topless girls in the water.

"You two got something that Dave and Josh have never seen before!" Cathy called and watched both girls blush.

Mindy and Chloe looked at each other, then shrugged and swam over to the swim platform. They climbed out quickly and covering their chests, ran through the main salon and down the steps to the staterooms. All the way the girls had to suffer wolf whistles and cheering from Dave, Josh _and_ Ryan! Minutes later the girls reappeared with tops on.

"Ha, fucking Ha!" Chloe said and surprised Josh, who was expecting pain, with a kiss.

"I'm gonna get it later, aren't I?" Josh asked rhetorically and Chloe nodded.

"Oh yeah – the full Shadow!"

Josh grinned apprehensively and Cathy laughed at his expression.

"Hi, gorgeous!" Dave said, trying to keep a straight face.

"I can take a joke... We'll find out if you can, later, Ass-Kick!" Mindy said calmly, giving Dave a kiss.

Cathy had a distinct feeling that Josh and Dave might be in need of medical attention by the following morning!

* * *

The previous evening and that morning had given Ryan Bennett plenty to consider.

His daughter had managed to get herself involved with some strange and very violent people. Nevertheless, in doing so, she had found friends and not just ordinary friends. These people were true friends who would do anything for each other. Ryan found Dave to be very mature for his age and saw him as a young man who would go far in life. Mindy was a challenge and Ryan respected Dave for tolerating her eccentricities; however he found her to be a lovely girl, despite what he knew she did for a career! Commander Bennett was used to being around people that killed for a living; Fusion was no different and he saw what Mindy did, as just the same as what his Sailors and Marines did when it was required. Most importantly, Mindy did not kill for the fun of it; she was surgical in what she did.

Joshua...

Ryan saw Joshua as a potential threat to his only daughter, but he knew that Chloe was very close to Josh, long before he had 'died' and he was very much aware that Josh's 'death' had hit Chloe hard. Indeed, it had been the reason why the family had moved from New York to Chicago. Cathy had told Ryan about Chloe wanting to get herself 'protection', so that if something 'happened', then she would not get pregnant. Ryan was ultimately, very impressed with Chloe's maturity, when he had heard about that. Okay, he was concerned about his daughter having underage sex with an underage boy, but considering what else the pair got up to, a little hanky-panky was rather tame!

..._...

Chloe and Ryan had also become much closer, as father and daughter, which he was very pleased about. Cathy had confirmed that Chloe had been a lot happier, in general, since meeting Dave and Mindy and that she was no longer the moody, grumpy, argumentative teenager that she had once been. I also knew that Chloe was learning to make important decisions – the hard way, unfortunately. She had apparently made a disastrous set of decisions that had almost resulted in her own death, just a few months before, towards the end of the previous year and Ryan understood that Mindy had actually, temporarily, kicked Chloe out of Fusion as a result.

..._...

Ryan also had cause to be concerned about young Curtis, who was himself now involved in Fusion. Curtis was Ryan's nephew and all that was left of his brother. However, like Cathy, he felt comfortable trusting Mindy with Curtis, as he had with Chloe. Even Cathy was enjoying herself as _the_ Fusion Medic! Ryan was more than a little shocked to find out that she had gone into action, and on more than one occasion, and that she had actually shot some people, too!

Well, he supposed that it could have been worse – his wife and daughter, along with his nephew, could be involved in something much more serious!

* * *

"Josh, you got a minute?" Ryan asked, attracting the attention of Chloe.

"Yes!" Josh replied, politely and he looked a little concerned.

"I would like a chat with you... In private!" Dad said, as Chloe also got up.

Chloe, with concern etched on her face, watched as her Dad and Josh went up onto the bow and sat down facing the horizon.

"Mom! Should I be worried?" Chloe asked, turning to her mother.

"Well... Probably not... No... He'll be fine... Probably!" Cathy Bennett replied with a smirk.

"Well, I feel a lot better now, thanks!" Chloe growled sarcastically, sitting down at the table and watching her father and her boyfriend.

"What could Dad be talking about with Josh?" Chloe thought. Chloe knew that her father liked Josh – well he hadn't said that he didn't! But then again her father probably wasn't all that pleased that she was having sex with Josh, on a fairly regular basis! Her Mom had said that her father was okay with it, so... "Dad wouldn't kill Josh, would he?" She thought to herself.

..._...

Commander Bennett and Josh came back aft about an hour later and both were smiling.

"What did you two talk about?" Chloe demanded, desperate for information.

"Nothing important!" Josh replied with a smirk.

"This and that!" Her father replied, noncommittally.

"You both talked about _me_ – didn't you?" Chloe suggested, indignantly.

"Nah! You're too boring!" Her father said and walked off, followed by Josh who looked very smug.

"Assholes!" Chloe thought.


	6. Back To The Point

**_Two days later  
Wednesday_**

**_Chicago 'L' Blue Line_**

This time out, there were three teams.

Team 'A' consisted of Murphy, Erika and Mindy. Team 'B' was made up of Dave, Fellowes and Josh. Team 'C' had Chloe, Ryan and Cathy.

Mindy's team was, at that point in time, on the Blue Line; Team 'B' was on the Pink Line while Team 'C' rode the Green Line. Marty was coordinating from Safehouse F.

The short break had been enormous fun for everyone and it had allowed the team to restart their mission, fresh and full of energy. Mindy was still getting it in the ear from Marcus about the name of her new boat, but she had rather expected that!

Marcus's exact words were, "You're getting me back for grounding you, all those years ago, aren't you!"

* * *

**_Early afternoon_**

**_Chicago 'L' Blue Line_**

There was no reason for Mindy doing it, but ultimately it had saved her life.

She had whipped the book that she had been reading up and to her left, at about the height of her neck. She jumped slightly as something hit the book with considerable force.

"Knife!" Mindy called into her concealed comms, as she stared at the _very_ sharp knife that was partially embedded in her book.

"CPD, don't move!" Murphy bellowed, from across the carriage – his Glock pistol held out in front of him.

Mindy thought she saw a face – a girl's face, but only for an instant, as the attacker vanished out of the doorway with Murphy firing several shots in the girl's direction. Mindy rushed out of the nearest door, but saw no trace of the girl. Murphy came up to her, holstering his pistol.

"Well, you dodged that extremely well!" Murphy said.

"I did – pure damn luck," I commented and stared at the knife in the book.

"What were you reading?" Murphy asked looking at the book then sounding very surprised. "Shakespeare?"

Mindy smiled sheepishly and opened the book up to reveal a concealed gun catalogue.

"That's more like it!" Murphy laughed.

* * *

**_West Ridge_**

Mindy still felt a little shaken up and that had surprised her a bit.

Nevertheless, she tried to remember every detail of the face that she had seen. Murphy had seen the girl, too and between the two of them, they managed to get a good description together. What was even better was that this was the very first attack that had failed; somebody had survived – me, and I had Hit Girl and her reflexes to thank for it!

Still – that girl was out there and she was killing people – why? Nobody seemed to have any idea. The girl seemed young, too – teenaged maybe.

However, being teenaged did not mean that you could not kill people and Mindy was a prime example of that!

* * *

Mindy and Dave, along with Fellowes and Murphy, were certain that the girl would not attack again that day.

That fact was confirmed when the scenes of crime team had found blood at the Pulaski station. Murphy had winged her; so they now had a wounded killer out there. Mindy's practiced mind knew that wounded, desperate people often made mistakes. She also knew that a wounded criminal rarely walked into the Emergency Room to get gunshots treated.

Thanks to her Daddy, Mindy also knew the types of places that you could go to find medical treatment when you wanted to stay off the grid. Since moving to Chicago, she had compiled a list of such places, in case that kind of treatment was needed. Thankfully, though, the team had Doctor Cathy Bennett to help treat wounds and pull bullets out of Mindy – as she seemed to be the only person that was ever shot!

..._...

Mindy decided on taking Dave and Megan, so that they could look like a family to anybody observing their actions. However, she had insisted that Megan wear a stab vest; Megan had moaned as expected, but Mindy had insisted. Dave and Mindy were both armed with concealed weapons. A Glock 26 in Mindy's case and a larger Glock 19 for Dave – he could conceal a larger weapon, much more easily than Mindy could!

The three of them started near Pulaski, just as it was getting dark. Battle Guy and Mist were in Beast; they would be shadowing the trio, as they were out as ourselves. Jackal and Shadow were in reserve at Safehouse F, if required.

The first place was a small back street medical centre that most people avoided, unless they wanted to catch something nasty. The doctors there were all unlicenced, which was why they accepted criminals, who paid cash. In addition, the doctors were not about to report any bullet wounds, either!

The place was closed, but Dave and Mindy did a thorough sweep, thus ensuring that there was nobody on the premises. As Dave, Mindy and Megan moved onto the next place, they walked past a darkened alleyway where Beast was waiting, engine running, but lights off. Megan waved and the engine revved twice. Mindy smiled; it felt good to have backup.

..._...

"Hey gorgeous!" A voice slurred.

Mindy turned and found a man, obviously drunk.

"Really! Now is _not_ a good time," She growled.

"For a girl like you, any time's a good time!" The drunk man continued and he reached out to grab Mindy's arm.

Then the man screamed.

"Now is not a good time – take the fucking hint!" Dave growled as he twisted the man's arm with a single hand.

"Sorry man – I really am –!"

"Beat it asshole!" Megan growled at the man, who turned and fled as soon as Dave let go of him.

"He has good taste!" Dave quipped with a smile.

"I can't help looking gorgeous!" Mindy replied seductively.

"Jeez – get a fucking room!" Megan growled and wandered off ahead.

..._...

The next place was as much of a shithole as the first, with equally dodgy doctors, but this one was different – it seemed to be open. Mindy headed for the main entrance, but when she got there, she found the door locked. Mindy peered through the glass and could see evidence that they were open, but nobody was visible.

"This sucks," Mindy said over the comms, for all to hear.

Then, just as she was going to call it, something caught her eye. There, to the right of the reception desk. It was a foot – somebody was lying on the floor. Maybe not, altogether unusual, in a place like that, but right now – it just seemed out of place.

"Something's off here. We need support – Fusion move in," Mindy called and then turned to Megan. "Get into cover and stay there!"

Megan nodded and dived behind a dumpster at the side of the building. Mindy turned as she heard Beast pull up behind them and a minute later, felt Battle Guy come up beside her and push something into her hands – it was her Hit Girl mask. Dave was being given his Kick-Ass mask by Mist, who was then pointed to the dumpster where Megan received her own, Wildcat mask. The team did not take any risks with their personal and secret identities. Kick-Ass and Battle Guy went around back, while Mist and Hit Girl went in the front door – Hit Girl had picked the cheap shitty lock, in a second!

* * *

**_Inside the medical centre_**

Hit Girl went in with her pistol up. Mist was beside her with her Walther up and ready. Down by the reception desk, Hit Girl found a woman bound and with tape over her mouth, but she was alive. Hit Girl eased off the tape and cut her bindings, while Mist kept watch.

"Keep calm, help is on the way," Hit Girl growled. "Is somebody here?

The woman nodded hesitantly. A little disconcerted about being quizzed by a masked vigilante.

"Where?"

The woman pointed at a door and Hit Girl indicated that she should leave and the woman did not need telling twice! Mist had the armour, so she went first. She pushed open the door and found herself in a passageway. She carefully checked out each end of the passageway and once all was clear she waved Hit Girl through. All chatter was kept to an absolute minimum for stealth. Once in the passageway, both girls could hear voices coming from the other side of a door, about halfway down the passageway and to the right.

Hit Girl waved Mist forward.

"Battle Guy, Kick-Ass – we have a target, we are breaching!" Hit Girl called over the comms.

"Copy that, we're covering the rear!" Kick-Ass replied.

..._...

Hit Girl indicated for Mist to go first, with her armour.

Mist kicked in the door and as the two vigilantes entered, they saw two people. A man, who was obviously a doctor, was administering to a woman, who sat on a gurney and was holding a gun on the doctor.

The woman opened fire on the intruders, as Mist ran forwards and pushed the doctor to the floor and safety, while Hit Girl rolled and returned fire with her Glock 26. The woman's bullets had not penetrated Mist's armour. Hit Girl's shots missed, as the woman fired at the glass of a window, which shattered and she dived out. Hit Girl ran for the same window, calling a warning over the comms.

"She's running!"

* * *

**_Outside the medical centre_**

"She's running!"

Wildcat's head snapped up on hearing Hit Girl's voice. She had heard the gunfire, from where she was hiding. In response she ran out, opened the tailgate of Beast, and grabbed a Glock 26 pistol and a magazine from the storage racks. Wildcat inserted the magazine into the grip of the pistol and racked back the slide. Then after shutting up Beast, she ran back towards the dumpster. However, on the way, she saw a woman running towards her. The woman had a pistol in her hand, so Wildcat came to a quick decision and raised her pistol.

"Stop!" Wildcat growled. Her voice being electronically altered and amplified by the mask, as well as transmitted over the open comms.

"Wildcat, no!" She heard Hit Girl call, over the comms, as the woman turned towards me.

Wildcat started shooting, just as she felt sharp pains in her thigh, stomach and arm. Then she collapsed to the ground and sank into blackness.


	7. Wounded

**_That evening  
Wednesday_**

**_Safehouse F_**

The bedroom on Level 0 had been designed with a secondary role as a medical facility and as such was very well equipped.

In the centre of the room was a table that normally had a thick leather cover over it. Now, the cover had been removed to reveal a table very similar to that which you would see in a hospital operating theatre.

Megan was lying on the table and Cathy was currently sewing up her wounds. Mindy had stayed during the entire operation and she was horrified that she had allowed Megan to be injured like that. This was not the first time that Megan had been hurt, but this was the first time that she had actually been wounded.

The bruising around the stab wounds was horrific, not to mention the rest of the dried blood that clung to her body. She would have scars, but Cathy was doing her best to limit them. Luckily, nothing important had been hit by the knives.

Nevertheless, Megan was in for a tough time as she healed.

* * *

Mindy stared down at her blood soaked jeans and shirt and thought back over the previous hour.

+...+...+

Hit Girl had heard Wildcat, challenging the killer – which was the absolute last thing that Wildcat should have been doing. The gunshots had rung out as Hit Girl had come running around the building; she dreaded what she would find.

Hit Girl had found the very dead body of the woman first, a pool of blood spreading around the body. There were three holes, dead centre in her chest and she had probably died before she had hit the ground. However, beyond her, Hit Girl could see the prone form of Wildcat and as she got closer she could see the blood seeping through the young girl's clothes.

..._...

"Wildcat is down!" Hit Girl had yelled, as she yanked the right rear door of Beast open. Kick-Ass appeared, scooped up Wildcat and passed her to Hit Girl in the back of Beast. Mist climbed in beside Hit Girl and Battle Guy jumped into the front passenger seat of Beast, just as Kick-Ass accelerated away.

Cathy had already been at the Safehouse with Chloe, Josh and Curtis. Abby was running the Command Centre and as soon as she had heard the call that Wildcat was down, she had hit the alarm in the Safehouse, which had brought everybody running. Cathy had immediately gone downstairs with Chloe to prepare the medical facilities. Curtis was beside himself with worry and Josh had been doing his utmost to keep the boy calm.

..._...

As soon as Beast had come to a halt in the Safehouse, Mindy had jumped out and carried Megan downstairs to the medical facility. There, Cathy had promptly cut off Megan's clothes and gently removed the three throwing knives that were embedded in Megan's left thigh, upper left arm and the left side of her stomach. Megan had not regained consciousness since she had passed out after being hit by the three knives. The drive back had been hell – Mindy had been able to feel Megan's blood soaking into and through her clothes. It had not been possible to remove the knives, so Mindy had just padded the wounds to try and stem the flow of blood.

+...+...+

Mindy looked back up, at the scene in the room.

Megan's naked body was now covered with a sheet; Cathy and Chloe were washing their hands in the bathroom. Mindy turned, as she heard feet thundering down the steps outside the room and then Paige and Marcus rushed in. Paige was very pale and screamed at the sight of the blood on Mindy's clothes – her daughter's blood. Next, she saw her daughter; but just then, Cathy reappeared and was quickly able to put Paige's mind at rest that her daughter was fine and would recover fully.

Mindy looked up at Marcus; she felt wretched.

* * *

**_Later that night_**

**_Safehouse F_**

Her body ached like nothing she had ever felt before.

When she woke up, she cried out in pain. Most of her left side felt like it was burning, like it was on fire. Megan looked around and saw two faces that slowly came into focus. Her eyes first focussed on Mindy, who smiled down at her – Megan tried to smile back, but did not really have the energy.

"Hi, sport – welcome back!" Mindy said.

Megan turned to the other face and felt a feeling of intense relief. It was Mom.

"Hello, angel."

"Hi, Mom. It hurts..."

"It will, you were stabbed three times," Mindy explained.

"Why? How?" Megan asked, confused.

Then it hit her: the woman, the gun – and disobeying Mindy! Megan looked up at Mindy and her Mom.

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?"

"Oh yeah, Wildcat – you're in _big_ trouble!" Mindy confirmed.

"You're grounded till you're twenty-one, honey bun!" Mom added.

"Oh fuck!" Mindy growled and the pain became too much.

She passed out.

* * *

**_Early morning  
Thursday_**

**_Safehouse F_**

Megan woke up again.

The pain was not too bad, that time. However, she desperately needed the bathroom. Megan looked anxiously around the room and saw Mindy curled up, fast asleep in a chair on the other side of the room. Then she saw a smiling face, in another chair. It was Curtis. Megan smiled back at him.

"Hi, Megan – you okay?" Curtis enquired, with concern in his voice and it was obvious that the boy had been crying.

"I think so, but I need to pee and I think I'm gonna need your help to get to the bathroom."

Megan threw back the covers on the bed with her good right arm and Curtis froze and coloured slightly. Megan looked down at her body – she was naked and covered in what looked like dried blood, apart from what seemed to be acres of bandages and dressings on her left side.

"Curtis – I don't give a shit if I'm naked, just help me!" Megan growled as menacingly as she could.

Curtis looked embarrassed, but Megan needed him. He started to go towards Mindy, but I called him back.

"Curtis, leave Mindy – just support me and help me to the bathroom. Yes, I'm naked – there's nothing to see, so get over it!" Megan ordered and Curtis gave in.

Curtis helped Megan out of the bed and across to the bathroom, then it was Megan's turn to get embarrassed and she suggested to Curtis that she could handle the rest of the operation and he pulled the door closed after her. Megan was relieved at last! She was now feeling somewhat self-conscious and wished that she had some clothes on and considered the hand towel, but then decided that that would just be stupid.

"It's not exactly as if I had anything for him to see for fuck's sake!" Megan commented to herself as she opened the bathroom door and saw Curtis waiting for her.

Curtis helped her back to the bed. The strain of moving had been painful and Megan was now crying with the pain. Curtis looked horrified to see his friend crying.

"I'm okay – it just hurts a bit. Thanks, you're the best friend a girl could have," Megan said and gave him a kiss, as he helped her lie back down. He blushed – badly! "Will you stay with me?"

"As long as it takes, Megan – I promise."

* * *

**_Later that morning_**

**_Safehouse F_**

"How is the patient?" Dr Bennett asked, smiling at the still sleeping Curtis and Mindy.

"I'm good – it just hurts," Megan answered bravely and felt herself crying again. "Dammit!" She thought.

"It will; I gave you as much as I dared, to deaden the pain last night – I'll give you some more in a few minutes."

Dr Bennett started to remove the bandages and dressings.

"You should be out of bed in a day or two. The wounds are healing well," she said after a brief examination. "But it will be a few weeks before the inside heals – so no more _Wildcat_ for a while."

"That sucked!" Megan thought to herself.

* * *

Cathy surveyed the scene in the room.

Megan was out of any danger, and she would recover with no lasting effects. Apparently, Curtis had helped Megan to the bathroom, during the night. Mindy had insisted on sleeping in the room, just in case. She was still wearing the same clothes that had been soaked in Megan's blood. Cathy gently shook Mindy's shoulder to wake up and immediately found her wrist seized by Mindy's hand – it was painful.

"My God! Sorry, Cathy!" Mindy exclaimed as she let go of Cathy's wrist like she had been electrocuted.

Cathy laughed at Mindy's discomfort.

"Don't be so silly, Mindy! Go get out of those clothes, _now_ and get a shower, _now_!"

Mindy started to glare at Cathy, but gave up and rolled her eyes.

"Yes, ma'am!"

Mindy headed upstairs, while Cathy laughed and went over to wake Curtis. The boy had been extremely worried about Megan and had insisted on staying in the room, with Mindy. When Cathy had checked in on him later, she had found that he had been crying.

Megan really meant a lot to the boy.

* * *

**_Three days later  
Sunday_**

**_West Ridge_**

Murphy had confirmed that the dead woman had been the 'girl' that I had seen on the train. She was identified as a serial killer that the FBI had been after for many months. She went from city to city, using different methods each time.

..._...

Megan was out of bed and had been able to hobble about with the aid of a crutch and of course, Curtis!

So far, Megan had been yelled at by Paige, Marcus and Mindy. Curtis had tried, but failed when Megan had smiled sweetly at him! However, her sweet smiles had not worked with the others. Mindy had been the most angry, it had turned out. Megan had broken the promise that she had made to Mindy, when Mindy had first allowed her to be a Fusion operator; so right now, Megan was avoiding Mindy, like the plague!

Mindy, however, had come up with a useful idea that might help both Megan heal and give time for Mindy to forgive her! She had suggested a trip on 'the boat', as Marcus insisted on calling it. Cathy, for one, quite liked the name: 'Salty Swallow'; it had character and she had enjoyed the previous trip on it with Ryan! Therefore, Cathy had suggested that Mindy and Dave take Josh, Chloe, Curtis, Megan and Erika, on a trip up Lake Michigan for a week or so. There was no way that they could get into any trouble and it would also be very relaxing; therefore Megan could heal.

* * *

**Author's Note:** _That is the end of **Knife Edge**. _At this point, though, y_ou are strongly advised to read the story: **Forsaken**_,_ for the next events in the **Forsaken** timeline, starting from Chapter 160. __There is expected to be a sequel to this story, in the form of another story that takes place on the 'Salty Swallow' and will follow the team on a cruise through some of The Great Lakes. The story is called **The Voyages of The Salty Swallow** and is expected to pick up after Chapter 163 of **Forsaken**._


End file.
